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ATLANTIC CITY -- The power company for the former Revel Casino Hotel has taken its fight with the bankrupt resort's new owner to federal court.

ACR Energy Partners asked a federal judge on Tuesday to restrain Florida developer Glenn Straub's Polo North Country Club from using any of its equipment, saying an attempt to do so would likely "cause serious human injury or death."

The company shut off utility service to the 47-story building last Thursday, two days after Polo North closed on a deal to buy the casino for $82 million and after the two parties failed to reach a deal on energy costs. The building has been without power since then.

An attorney representing ACR did not immediately return requests for comment.

Straub said Tuesday night that the power company was desperate, since Revel was their only customer. He said they could take their best shot at him.

"Let them try. Everybody tries. We're no stranger to court," he said. "Let people try everything they can."

A state judge on Friday denied a request by Polo North that would have required ACR to turn the power back on and ACR then filed to have the case moved to federal court. Polo North sent an eviction notice to the power company this week, telling them to vacate the property. 

Polo North is facing daily fines of $5,000 by Atlantic City until power to the building's fire prevention systems is restored. In a letter included in court filings, Atlantic City's acting fire chief Vincent Granese wrote that a powerless Revel would "create a host of problems and hazards for firefighting operations."

Straub has said he plans to eventually connect to the grid through the neighboring Showboat but plans to use generators for power until that process is complete. Portable generator trucks arrived at the former Revel site on Tuesday and Straub said they would hook up those generators as soon as possible. 

Lawyers for ACR asked a federal judge to prevent Polo North "from interfering with, connecting equipment to and using the equipment and distribution system owned by ACR Energy" located within the former Revel complex.

Chief U.S. District Court Judge Jerome Simandle ordered ACR to show why the case should be handled in federal court, rather than state court, by Wednesday. The judge also plans to hold a hearing on ACR's request for a temporary restraining order against Polo North on Wednesday afternoon.

Erin O'Neill may be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Follow her on Twitter @LedgerErin. Find NJ.com on Facebook.